Red, Orange and Yellow
by Ghost of Harrenhal
Summary: It s Halloween, they have two kids and decide to spend a few days at Mike and Rachel's new house in the suburbs. Bunch of fluff.
1. Chapter 1

The last few days of October arrive with an added chill that calls for sleeping in sweaters and socks, her arms and legs wrapped around and in between his, seeking warmth. Her hair is tied in a knot that got almost entirely loose during the night, red splaying over his chest, and Harvey is busying himself with straightening the stray locks and watching her sleep peacefully on a bed that isn't theirs.

He admires for some time while the sun rises outside until it can angle a soft beam of morning light through a crack in the curtains; it shines on her face and she stirs, prying one eye open and finding both of his.

"What time is it?" she mumbles, turning to bury her face on the crook of his neck to get away from the light.

Harvey smiles affectionately "Eight."

She grunts, displeased "Too early," Donna complains, the words muffled against his pajamas.

"It is," he agrees "But _you_ suggested pumpkin picking."

"I take it back." She deadpans.

He snorts a quiet laugh "The kids will have fun."

"They're two and five," she tells him, nudging further into her nook "They won't remember having fun."

"They'll enjoy themselves now," he says, tenderly tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear; Harvey loves her in the morning, so unguarded and fraying prettily around the edges, "And think about how cute they're gonna look, puffed up in five layers of clothing."

She grunts, unconvinced.

"Remember we got them kitten mittens?" He tries again.

She props up to look at him through narrowed eyes, he just smiles and brushes the back of his fingers against her cheek until her frown unfurls and she rolls her eyes "It's so ridiculous to hear you say kitten mittens," Donna mocks, but there is an undertone of defeat.

"What can I say," He starts and leans in to peck her lips "They popped out and I got soft."

She closes her eyes, breathing in deeply to come to terms with leaving the guest bedroom at Mike and Rachel's house to deal with two toddlers; when she opens them again he is staring, kindly, intently and so loving and unexpected it knocks her a little off balance. Good thing she is already laying down.

"What's that look for?" she asks, helpless in fighting the smile that spreads across the corners of her mouth.

He just nods dismissively, "Nothing."

"That doesn't look like nothing," she argues, bringing a hand of her own to cradle his face and, as soon as she does, he turns to press a kiss to her palm, "What's gotten into you this early?" she asks amusedly, curious and intoxicated by his affection.

"If I do nothing I'm an asshole, if I'm caring I'm guilty, I really can't win," Harvey says, sighing dramatically.

Donna rolls her eyes "I'm letting this go because we're on a clock but don't think I forgot."

"Forgot what? I didn't do anything," he says with a half laugh.

She shoots him a knowing glare and starts to detach but he holds her in place by gripping her hipbones, thumbs sneaking under her sweater to run circles on the soft skin there "Harvey, we don't have time" She warns him, but he isn't deterred, one hand creeping further up her shirt and tracing her spine, waking shivers she feels prickle from the back of her neck down to her toes.

"We're on holiday, all we have is time," he says softly, tightening the hold around her waist and pulling her fully on top of him, she looks doubtful but complies with the shift.

"You're being very cheesy" She mocks, though it loses traction when she leans down to kiss him tenderly "I might like it."

He snorts a laugh "Might?"

Donna nods, stealing another quick kiss, "I'll decide when I know what it's about," she ponders, tracing his jawline with a finger and smiling when his eyes close appreciatively.

"I love you," he whispers, perhaps as a means of explanation, enjoying her light caress.

It's so silly, getting butterflies from something she hears all the time from someone she already has two kids with, but the flutter still sneaks up on her, warming her middle and crawling up the sides of her neck to the tips of her ears.

"I love you too, so much," she says, brushing her thumb over his lips and watching as he smiles beneath it.

"Who's cheesy now?" Harvey jokes and she rolls her eyes, pinches his neck lightly.

"Shut up."

"I didn't start it" He chuckles and she kisses him just to wipe the smugness off his face.

He leans into it more passionately than she'd expected, worrying her bottom lip between his teeth then pressing closer yet, urging her lips apart before his tongue slides languidly into her mouth, tangling with hers. One of his hands starts to roam over the skin it can reach; tugging her sweater up, and the other glides down her ass to pull her hips flush against his. The friction sparks a sudden jolt of pleasure and she moans quietly into his skin when the sensation throws her aim for another kiss.

"Are both of you fully clothed?" Mike's voice interrupts from the other side of the door.

They break apart, swollen lips, flushed cheeks and panting slightly. Harvey huffs out a frustrated breath "No! We're mid sex," he shouts back and Donna slaps his chest reprehensibly.

"We got layers on, it's fine" She corrects, glaring at him while running her fingers through her scalp, collecting all the red strands and tying them back into a ponytail.

"Are you sure?" Mike asks, "'Cause I'm still working off the file room trauma."

"We weren't even naked," She argues, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, just pants halfway down and dress halfway up," he says, "Tuck everything away, I'm coming in."

Mike opens the door slowly and pokes his head into the room, carefully covering his eyes with a hand "I'm serious, are you really dressed?" he asks again.

Donna grabs a pillow and throws it at his face; it hits the mark and Mike is forced to drop his hand "What the hell?" He complains, looking around indignantly for the projectile while Harvey laughs so hard his eyes start to well up.

"Do you think I _want_ you to catch us naked?" Donna asks him, sarcastically.

"I could've died" he whines and she reaches for another pillow "Alright, alright, alright," he says, waving his hands in front of his body defensively until she lets it go "But you _are_ on top of each other" Donna glares murderously and he decides to skip to the point, "Your kids are up and it's almost time to leave so; chop, chop" he says, clapping along twice for emphasis.

"Fine, we're going. Now get out, we need to change"

"Hey, this is my house, I decide when I-" He is interrupted when Donna throws another pillow and he has to hop behind the door to evade impact.

"And stay there," She tells him.

"You're _not_ a good house guest," Mike points out, aggravated "And I _am_ leaving but because _I_ want to" he says, starting to stomp away.

"You keep telling yourself that!" Donna shouts after him.

"See?" Harvey starts, looking down at her once Mike's steps fade down the hallway, "We're having fun already."


	2. Chapter 2

"It's an outrage!" Her high-pitched voice bounces off every piece of glass in the bathroom.

"Lydia, they're leather, it goes with anything," Donna tells her daughter, edging on impatience.

They've been at this for some ten minutes, her sitting on the edge of the tub and Lydia standing between her knees as she lotions, powders and dresses her, arguing all the while.

"My coat is pink, my outfit is lilac, the shoes _have_ to match the coat," Lydia explains looking at her mother dead in the eye with utter seriousness "Don't they, Edith?"

"They really do, Aunt Donna," The other little girl agrees, leaning over the bathroom counter while clumsily applying strawberry chapstick.

Rachel laughs at her daughter from her own makeup station "Honey, don't contradict your aunt."

"I'm sorry momma," Edith complies "But it's important to look your best, always."

"That's what I'm saying!" Lydia pipes up.

Rachel laughs again and Donna rubs her temples trying to keep cool.

"I only brought you this coat and these boots," She tries to reason "You'll be cold if you don't wear either one."

"But the pictures!" Lydia exclaims, throwing her arms up exasperatedly.

Donna sighs deeply, letting her head drop, eyes closed and breathing slow and calculated, doing her best not to snap as she promised herself she would never, summoning all the awful childhood memories of her mother's hysterics to remember the importance of keeping cool. It's getting increasingly harder not to however; when Lydia is too much like _both_ of them, argumentative and relentless, too smart for her own good and worse, theirs.

"I'm getting your dad," Donna tells the little blonde girl, cradling her face between both her hands and finding those hazel eyes she never thought much of when they were just hers. Now she notices the sparse golden freckles and the strings of green and a brightness that is entirely Lydia's and her frustration ebbs away almost completely, "I love you baby, but you're too stubborn" she says, tired but lovingly.

"That's what you and daddy always say to each other."

Donna and Rachel snort laughs at the exact same time, "She's paying attention," Rachel remarks good-naturedly.

"Are you girls almost ready?" Mike chimes in from just outside the half open door.

Rachel leans back to look at him, holding her bumb to keep balance, and smiles, "We're having a slight complication," she answers, "Lydia has objections to her outfit; she called it an 'outrage'"

"Does she know what that means?" He asks, bemused.

"I'm _right here_ Uncle Mike" Lydia chastises, placing her hands on her hips authoritatively.

Mike peeks around the door to look at his goddaughter, "Aren't you just five?"

"And a half" She corrects proudly, "Aren't you too old to make fun of little kids?"

Donna and Rachel double over laughing, Mike engages in a staring contest with Lydia until she shows him the tongue while her mother is distracted.

"Are you sure she's Harvey's and not some demon shadow baby like in Game of Thrones? You have the red hair and I was never 100% convinced you're not a witch"

"If I was a witch I'd definitely turn you into a frog for that" Donna bites back.

"It's okay papa, I'll protect you" Edith reassures him, done applying a tinge of perfume and a whole lot of blush that Rachel immediately begins to wipe off.

Mike just sighs, "Thank you princess" he says, defeated and wondering how he got to this point, "But you can save your strength for your baby brother or sister, I'm sure they'll need protection from your witch cousin."

"Careful, her powers peak on Halloween," Donna warns him while Lydia glares vindictively and Rachel offers a sympathetic glance.

He decides to drop it and they all continue to go about their business. Rachel throws away the pinked baby wipe and explains to Edith that makeup is for older girls and that she's just as beautiful without it while Mike agrees with a long complimentary rant. Donna gives up on the boots issue and moves onto brushing Lydia's hair, smiling and allowing her fingers to linger on the soft golden curls; selfishly half-wishing they were red.

Their peace is only disturbed when Harvey's voice drifts up from the first floor calling for Mike.

"Tell him to come up please?" Donna requests, clipping butterfly pins on Lydia's hair.

"I'll think about it," Mike says, stepping out with a grin.

Donna rolls her eyes "Think carefully and remember I handle the payroll," She shouts after him.

They hear him trot down the stairs and call for Harvey, losing interest once he's out of earshot.

"Momma, can you braid my hair?" Edith says, widening her big blue eyes pleadingly.

"Sure, babe, pull up the stool" Rachel agrees, finishing up her eyeliner and flexing her fingers in preparation.

"Can you braid _my_ hair aunt Rachel?" Lydia questions, lighting up, and Donna snorts, just done arranging her curls.

"You have no mercy for me," She says, pulling her daughter's chin so their twin eyes meet "I can braid hair, you know?"

"You can?" She asks, disbelieving.

Rachel laughs and Donna covers her eyes with a hand, sighing.

"Lydia, you must be the only person who thinks your mother can't do everything."

"Nobody can do everything," The girl argues.

"True, but your momma comes close to it," Rachel says, starting to pull and tangle Edith's thick dark hair "She's a badass."

Donna opens her mouth to agree but Harvey beats her to it, "She really is," he says, showing up at the door and flashing her a wink, "I was summoned?"

Donna smiles, struck again by the silliness of feeling so in love after seven years, especially when he returns the gesture and warmth spreads in waves from her heart and belly.

"She can't leave the house unless her boots match her coat," She explains, "Apparently that's an 'outrage'"

Harvey narrows his eyes, turning to his daughter "What will this take, Lydia?"

"Nonnegotiable" Lydia declares, crossing her arms and stomping a foot.

"I don't like that baseline" He tells her, crouching to her level and holding her hips to pull her focus to him "What did I explain about deals?"

Lydia bites her lip and looks up, trying to remember. He allows her the time, and Donna watches him stare at those hazel eyes that melted her earlier; he softens, even more helpless than she is when it comes to this beautiful, clever, extraordinary, little girl.

"If you don't know, you can say it baby," Donna reassures.

Lydia tilts her head back to look at her and Donna pecks a wet kiss onto her forehead before she can escape. Lydia scrunches her face, wiping off the spot with the back of her hand and glares at her father for laughing, "That's gross"

"You've faced worse parts of my body" Donna jokes. Harvey laughs harder and Lydia just looks between the two of them, confused.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asks, hands on her waist.

"Nothing. Your dad asked you a question, do you have the answer?" Donna says quickly, poking her nose and pointing at Harvey.

"I don't remember," Lydia admits, "But if I don't get matching boots I'm going to scream."

"I wonder if we've spoiled her," Donna muses sarcastically.

"I told you it's important to pick your battles, do you remember what that means?" Harvey asks. Lydia nods, agreeing "Good. So, this is the only outfit we brought, you'll either wear it or stay home" He says, patiently.

"I don't want to stay!" She whines, crossing her arms and pouting.

"And we don't want you to stay, but you'll have to if you don't ease up, honey" Harvey says, brushing the back of a finger over her pink cheek, "Are boots really more important than having fun with your family? Is that a battle you want to pick?"

Lydia bites her lip, thinking hard about the situation, looking back and forth between her parents and then sighing, "Fine, but I really wanted to match." She says, disappointed.

"We will keep that in mind next time we are packing for you, we promise" Harvey says, smiling at her "And you look beautiful either way" he adds for good measure.

"You know," Edith chimes in, hopping off the stool while running her hands over her new french braid, "You could wear pink socks peeking out over the boots, it will look cool!"

All the adults groan.

"Why didn't you say that sooner?" Rachel asks her child, dumbstruck.

"Nobody asked," She answers simply "I have a pink one with cat ears you can borrow Lydia."

"They'll match my kitten gloves!" Lydia says excitedly, pushing past her father and following her cousin out the door with chirpy steps, oblivious to the gobsmacked adults they've left behind.

Rachel, Donna and Harvey look at each other in silence for a couple seconds, not sure what's just transpired.

"We're fools," Donna declares, finally.

"I just-" Rachel starts and stops, lacking the words to express how whipped they all are.

"I'm… gonna go" Harvey says. He stands and moves to the door, stopping as he's about to cross the threshold, "But for the record, that was still great parenting."


	3. Chapter 3

The road is lined with maples, their treetops blurring together in a rushing stream of red, orange and yellow. Donna watches the trunks fly by distractedly, Rachel driving quietly next to her and the girls bickering in the backseat over some new game on their ipads. She's fidgeting with a thyme ring Lydia made her for mother's day, rolling it back and forth until the skin underneath turns red-ish.

"Missing something?" Rachel says, eyeing her restlessness.

"What?" Donna asks absent-mindedly, turning towards her friend.

"A wedding ring?" Rachel clarifies.

"Oh," Donna's eyebrows arch in casual surprise "No, I was just thinking about work."

Rachel frowns "What about it? I feel like things are so calm compared to when- well, you know" She shrugs, shifting her attention back to traffic.

"I don't know I've just been feeling a little..." Donna drifts, sighing, "I guess, 'out of place' would be the words for it."

Rachel frowns, fingers tightening around the steering wheel for a moment "What do you mean?" She asks, creases on her forehead deepening.

Donna is quick to bring a hand to smooth them out gently, "Expression lines, remember," She says with a caring smile.

Rachel huffs out a frustrated breath "Yeah, damn age,"

Donna laughs, "I mean I spent almost three years working from home because I was taking care of Eli and it feels, I don't know, weird, since I've been back,"

"But everyone loves that you're back," Rachel says, stealing a loving look at her that Donna mirrors, before turning back to the road, "Louis literally filled your office with flowers."

Donna smiles, remembering "That was sweet, but also a lot of cleanup."

"The associates love you, the other partners think you're great, even the staff that didn't know you personally knows the work you sent over was always flawless," Rachel reaffirms, "And I missed you like crazy," She adds, one hand letting go of the steering wheel to grab Donna's and squeeze it briefly, "And so did Harvey."

Donna snorts a laugh "He saw me everyday, he was fine."

Rachel nods, disagreeing, looking at her knowingly out the corner of an eye "It didn't _technically_ affect business much, but he is way less likable when you're not around to filter out his bullshit," She smiles, rolling her eyes at some memories "And whenever he had to make a decision he paced back and forth in front of your office, of course not full fledged pacing, because he didn't want people to realize you're half his impulse control, but I could tell."

Donna tries not to smile too hard at that, but it's impossible, so she covers her mouth with a hand to feel like her giddiness is less exposed.

Rachel keeps going, a bit of unburdening to her tone, "My office was next to yours for a while, and one day he must've walked by me like, fifteen times, and I was a little testy about a case, so I just shouted at him to goddamn call you and he actually said 'I don't know what you're talking about'" Rachel rolls her eyes "You _didn't_ marry a real dumbass, but don't tell him I said that because he's still my boss."

"I won't," Donna reassures, "But I will be using all this information against him in the future."

"Be my guest, I'm sure Mike also has some ammo for you."

They grow silent after that. Rachel ends up having to activate the GPS to navigate the last few miles to the patch, its soothing female voice giving directions from time to time. Donna settles back into introspection with her forehead resting on her hand against the window, wondering how she can bring up Harvey's codependence to his maximum embarrassment without also giving away just how charmed she is by it.

The maples start to thin out as they get closer to a neighboring small town, turning into golden wheat fields that also shorten as they catch sight of constructions in the horizon. The girls let go of their ipads and start playing 'I spy' to make the best of the richer landscape. Donna listens to their game with amusement, trying to hold in laughter on occasion.

"I spy with my little eye something big and blue" Edith says, looking out her window.

Lydia leans towards that side, straining the straps on her car seat, to get a better look at Edith's field of vision. She bites the inside of her cheek pensively for a second then illuminates with the answer "Post office?"

"Yes!" Edith agrees, appreciatively. You'd think losing by three points would upset her, but she's as excited as Lydia. Donna figures she might be letting her daughter win and for that, she's both glad and apprehensive.

Donna is a bit worried Lydia has invented the concept of too much self-esteem and she doesn't want her to grow up entitled. She's not about to train compassion out of Edith though.

"I spy with my little eye…" Lydia pauses, squinting as the car moves forward, trying to decide, "Oh! I spy with my little eye something fluffy and white!" She says excitedly just before the air fills with the sound of bells and cries of joy.

There is a couple coming out of a church hand in hand, followed by their wedding party. The bride is wearing a big puffy lace dress that Edith correctly guesses as what Lydia spied.

Rachel has stopped at a red light and now everyone in the car is trying to catch a glimpse of the celebration; smiling wide as white rice rains over the giggling newlyweds and guest after guest embraces them proudly.

"God, I miss my wedding," Rachel says wistfully.

Donna laughs, "So do I" she agrees suggestively.

Rachel snorts "I think catching you and Harvey making out was the real cherry on top for Mike that day."

"Glad to be of service" Donna mocks, "They look happy don't they, even though that's an unfortunate dress."

"They really do," Rachel agrees, watching the bride and groom kiss dramatically for the photographer as the flower girls and ring bearer look on grossed out, the adults nearby laughing at their disgust.

Suddenly a horn blows long and loud behind them, and they realize the light has turned green. Rachel looks at the rearview mirror to find a red truck with an annoyed bearded man inside and rolls her eyes, "Asshole," she whispers, giving him the finger out the window while the girls are distracted trading daydreams about their own weddings.

"I didn't realize you had road rage," Donna comments as Rachel sets them into motion a bit aggressively.

"I got asshole rage," She counters, "And don't mention this to Mike, pregnancy might be making me a little… hormonal, and he's been talking about taking away my keys."

"He said you got out of the car to yell at an old lady last week." Donna points out with forced casualness.

"Is he gonna tell everybody that?"

"Maybe you _should_ stop driving," Donna suggests, "Just until the baby is born," She keeps her tone soft and controlled, afraid of sounding overbearing.

"Did he ask you to say that?" Rachel accuses, voice high-pitched.

Donna sighs, "He might have mentioned it, yes" she admits "He's concerned."

Rachel grunts "He should mind his own business."

"You're married, carrying his baby, you're his business" Donna reasons, covering Rachel's hand with her own on the steering wheel to calm her down.

It works, she deflates, drawing long soothing breaths, "I'll think about it," She concedes "They should specify these things in the papers though."

"What? That your husband might want to stop you from driving because you have pregnancy road rage?"

"Yeah, maybe you had it right, not creating a paper trail," Rachel jokes.

Donna laughs "I was thinking ahead" She says, tapping her temple with a finger humorously.

The conversation between them dies down for a few minutes after that and Donna starts chatting with the girls about the day ahead of them at the patch though Rachel keeps shooting her furtive looks.

"What?" Donna asks after the fourth or fifth time Rachel turns.

"Nothing" She answers too quickly.

" _What_?" Donna insists, leaning back into her seat.

"It's just…" Rachel starts, biting her lip nervously "Don't you think about it?"

"About what?" Donna frowns, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"Marriage?" Rachel explains.

"Oh," Donna softens "I used to but… I haven't in a while. Not since I found out about Eli."

"But you did before that?"

"Yes," She ponders, "Right before actually, I might've dropped a few hints," Donna adds with a smile.

"Why didn't you then?" Rachel asks, straightening her posture.

Donna shrugs "No time."

"No time to drive to a courthouse and sign some papers?" Rachel asks disbelieving.

"No time for a wedding," Donna specifies, cheeks tinging a discreet shade of pink at the girly admission.

"You'd still want the whole thing?"

Donna bites the inside of her cheek, "Not everything but _some_ things,"

Rachel looks at her with an eyebrow arched, curious "Like what?"

"A proposal, a dress, more than one witness."

"A proposal? After seven years and two kids?"

"Specially then," Donna laughs, "After all the nausea and backaches and _labor,_ I deserve it."

Rachel laughs too, "Good point. Have you told Harvey that?"

Donna nods, negating "No, it's a nice idea but I'm barely back at the firm, there's still no time," She says, and there's no regret in it, she already feels married, ring or no ring.

"I thought you could manage anything," Rachel teases.

"That was before I spawned two children."

Rachel is about to ask something else when the girls call their attention to the sign indicating 'Mrs. Elrin's Pumpkin Farm' and the conversation dies in favor of their excitement at the activities planned for the day.

"Dude, what happened?" Mike asks, giving Harvey a light punch in the shoulder, "I thought she'd get here with the ring already."

"Didn't find the right time." Harvey answers noncommittally

"What right time? You have two kids, the right time was anywhere between now and six years ago."

"Look, it's not that big a deal," Harvey bargains, "We're practically married anyway."

Mike looks repeatedly between him and the road, checking if Harvey's serious or not, "It _is_ a big deal," He declares, incisively.

Harvey sighs, rolling his eyes "I don't think she even still thinks about getting married."

Mike's mouth opens and closes a few times, indignant, and he slowly turns to Harvey with a judgmental look on his face "I'm not sure if you're kidding or not but I'm concerned."

"You know what, it's none of your business," Harvey says, crossing his arms defensively.

"It's gonna be my business when you move into our couch because she left you for a younger man," Mike jabs.

Harvey shoves him lightly, making them swerve a bit on the lane, "Fuck off," he mumbles as Mike laughs.

"Fuck off!" Eli echoes from the backseat.

Harvey's eyes grow wide and Mike nearly chokes on a mint he'd been sucking on, swallowing it whole unexpectedly and very uncomfortably.

"Don't react," Harvey whispers to his friend "He will forget about it."

They hold the tension for a few more seconds, nothing else happens so they relax and just as they think about talking again "Fuck off!" Eli parrots.

Harvey slaps his own forehead "I'm gonna get skinned alive about that."


End file.
